While it's hard not to be heart-broken over Maine voters rolling back marriage equality in one state where it was legislatively (not judicially) created, there are some key lessons that might be learned. Or not, more likely.
On marriage, the "M" word remains our biggest hurdle, no thanks to a "progressive" president who still reiterates his belief that marriage is only between a man and a woman, which anti-equality activists certainly make use of, and an LGBT movement that responds with "Thank you, sir, may I have another."
While all-but-marriage partnerships may just survive in Washington State, advocates face the hard truth that U.S. voters remain unwilling to grant us marriage equality in the vast majority of states.
Great Britain doesn't use the "M" word for all but marriage-they use "civil partnerships"-and many European nations that now have marriage equality first went through a period of all but marriage. We may have to as well (with the stipulation that the federal Defense of Marriage Act be amended to give equal rights to all but marriage partnerships recognized by the states-and even that remains a huge political hurdle, despite Democratic congressional majorities, which are sure to shrink in two years time-tick, tock, tick, tock).
Skipping "all but marriage" and demanding the "M" word may make for rousing protests, but at some point you have to admit that, when voters have the final say, it's a failed strategy, barring a sea change in popular opinion.
In the political contests, it's not all gloom. Bob McDonnell, the new GOP governor of Virginia, may be a Christian conservative, but he barely mentioned social issues in his campaign (while his Democratic opponent, Creigh Deeds, lambasted McDonnell for being against women's equality in a 20-year old master's thesis, which was also anti-gay, but that point was not used by Deeds.) Both Deeds and McDonnell had voted in the Virginia legislature for a successful state amendment banning same-sex marriage, although Deeds receive all the organizational LGBT endorsements. But McDonnell, while avoiding social issues (other than declaring his present support for women in the workplace) ran a low tax, contained-government campaign. And that's why he won, with some Republican and libertarian gay support.
I haven't followed the New Jersey race in which Republican moderate Chris Christie ousted Demcrat John Corzine, a close Obama ally, but it doesn't seem like gay issues were much discussed there, either.
In New York's 23rd congressional district, liberal, pro-gay-marriage Republican Dede Scozzafava was challenged on the right by Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman. She withdrew and endorsed Democrat Bill Owens after tanking in pre-election polls. Owens, a gay-marriage opponent like the president he supports, won. If Scozzafava hadn't been so far to the left on economic issues (her support for bigger government spending and union "card check" fueled her rightwing opposition), it would have been a clearer test of the GOP's willingness to support gay-marriage advocates in its big tent. But we'll have to wait to see those contests.
More on Marriage. Columnist Steve Chapman seems of a similar mind when he writes, in Gay Marriage Lost, But It's Not Losing:
it's not the idea of treating gay couples equally that bothers most Americans. It's the name of the legal arrangement. Call same-sex marriage by another term...and they're fine with it....
...you don't get across a broad river in a single leap. You get there by building a bridge that allows you to travel across one step at a time. As a destination, civil unions leave a lot to be desired. But as an avenue, they're hard to beat.
10 Comments for “Election Reflections 2009”
posted by TS on
The Wash state dept has called Ref71. We at least won that one. It would have been a true calamity to lose it. Doesn’t Maine have fairly robust domestic partnership anyhow?
I absentee voted for McDonnell. Deeds was a fool. I actually have more trust that McDonnell, who has observably changed his mind from “I’m a rabid ’80s political-science-grad conservative!” to “let’s move past the divisive crap and actually make the highway system work,” would be a productive governor most likely to avoid stupid decisions. If he goes back on his promise to not turn into a culture warrior in office, I will vehemently support any efforts to have him recalled.
posted by Debrah on
“On marriage, the ‘M’ word remains our biggest hurdle, no thanks to a ‘progressive’ president who still reiterates his belief that marriage is only between a man and a woman….”
************************************
Yes, that’s one hurdle.
But there are so many more which are totally within the control of those who lament such “inequality”……..which approaches nothing of the sort in the evaluation of most, obviously.
On the same-sex marriage issue, if the GOP remains the party of prohibition, it will increasingly alienate Independents and Libertarians.
Democrats face enormous challenge in embracing cultural transformations too eagerly and playing into the hands of the rabid Far Left.
Fundamentally, real change takes place not through a change in politics but because society has changed.
But the real hurdles faced are the methods used by so many in the gay community and how they present themselves.
On websites, serious discussion usually comes with a heavy dose of porn….as if shopping for a pair of underwear and watching someone cop a feel of someone’s d!ck somehow meshes with a discussion of considerable gravity.
On some level—consciously or subconsciously—many observers get the impression that “gay issues” = porn and rear exhibitions.
And no one is to blame but those who promote themselves and their agenda this way.
One needs to have a discussion with a few Liberals in private and hear what they really think. Not what they offer up for public consumption.
How such people really feel about the issue, and why.
One might also wish to take a look at this article, for example, from The Huffington Post.
posted by Jorge on
Good Lord, Debrah, if you’re going to use a 100-page link to make an obscure point about pornography the least you could do is say where in that Godforsaken heystack the needle of support in that ridiculous argument is!
I just lost ten minutes of my life trying to figure out the point–and I will NEVER get them back!
Anyway, my 2 cents on the NY-23rd election is that I’m starting to get the impression that the conservatives are making a comeback fueled by opposition to gay marriage. In New York of all places! I don’t understand this. I thought we were slowly changing the country toward our side. But now it’s like they’re starting to tell us to go away. If it were just the Republicans, they wouldn’t be so intractable.
posted by Tom on
Personally I would love to have full-rights civil partnership/union. I associate the word marriage (rightly or wrongly) with religion and to me religion and the idea of god is repulsive.
posted by Carl on
“I haven’t followed the New Jersey race in which Republican moderate Chris Christie ousted Demcrat John Corzine, a close Obama ally, but it doesn’t seem like gay issues were much discussed there, either.”
Late in the campaign, Christie said he would veto gay marriage if it passed the legislature. He also said if a law is passed in a lame duck session before he takes over, he will push for a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
As for Bob McDonnell, his anti-gay attitudes go beyond a thesis.
http://www.washblade.com/2005/11-4/news/localnews/anti-gay.cfm
“Republican Bob McDonnell, an Assembly delegate from Virginia Beach, argued in 2003 to block the reappointment of Circuit Court Judge Verbena Askew of Newport News, claiming that her perceived sexual orientation meant she violated the state?s ?crimes against nature law.? The Virginia Family Foundation, a social conservative group in Virginia, supports McDonnell.
McDonnell voted for the Virginia marriage amendment and a resolution urging Congress to pass a Federal Marriage Amendment, according to Equality Virginia. He also has not signed Equality Virginia?s employment non-discrimination pledge. McDonnell voted against a law to allow private companies to offer domestic partner health insurance, something his opponent supported. McDonnell also supported the failed anti-gay adoption bill.”
posted by Another Steve on
Carl makes the point that the Democrats are better on gay issues — at least not as affirmatively bad — than Republicans. But the Republicans won (in VA and NJ), and are likely to pick up seats in Congress next year. So the issue is what can we do to advance gay-equality issues in the GOP. Simply aligning our movement closer to the Democratic Party (and, indeed, the party’s left wing) isn’t the answer. But that’s what our movement leaders are devoted to doing.
posted by Aubrey on
My first reaction on Wednesday morning was to be depressed. Maine repealed SSM, and then Washington State was just barely voting to keep the new Domestic Partnership law (not even full marriage equality!)
But some context is helpful. In 1997, Washington State voted 60-40 against an anti-discrimination law (re: glbt). Now, 12 years later, this same state has passed everything-but-marriage law. In basically a decade a lot has changed.
And Maine is really disappointing. But looking at recent history, Maine voted to repeal their anti-discrimination law twice before it was finally upheld on a 3rd statewide vote. And that was not that long ago.
As far as the NY 23, it was held by Republicans since the Civil War. And I don’t think we’re talking the Rockefeller Republicans either. So it doesn’t seem to be a good bellweather district to determine how attitudes are changing at the local level. But maybe someone else could better educate as to how this district historically votes on “social” issues.
posted by Carl on
“So the issue is what can we do to advance gay-equality issues in the GOP. ”
Nothing. They have absolutely no need for us. They only cater to those they need. Look at NY-23. The far right caused them to lose a seat they had for over 150 years, and what do we get? Michael Steele going out and saying that those who aren’t conservative enough will not get support from the party. He is very frightened of his party not going along with the far right, and that includes gay issues.
posted by John Howard on
Skipping “all but marriage” and demanding the “M” word may make for rousing protests, but at some point you have to admit that, when voters have the final say, it’s a failed strategy, barring a sea change in popular opinion.
I think this is the point, because as you point out, dems may be losing seats in 2010.
We may have to as well (with the stipulation that the federal Defense of Marriage Act be amended to give equal rights to all but marriage partnerships recognized by the states?and even that remains a huge political hurdle, despite Democratic congressional majorities, which are sure to shrink in two years time?tick, tock, tick, tock)
I agree it will be a huge political hurdle to recognize all-but-marriage partnerships, and it could hurt Obama in 2012. There needs to be a distinction so that Civil Unions are not seen as stepping stones to marriage, there needs to be a concession, not merely a take-what-you=can-get-for-now compromise, but a real “we concede marriages should be between a man and a woman” concession, then they will be more comfortable recognizing Civil Unions.
Stephen, what do you say to adopting the Egg and Sperm Civil Union Compromise now?
Congress should:
1) Stop genetic engineering by limiting conception of children to the union of a man and a woman’s sperm and egg.
2) Federally recognize state civil unions that are exactly like marriages but do not grant conception rights.
3) Affirm in federal law the right of all marriages to conceive children together using their own gametes.
posted by Term Papers on
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